Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-03
In MEXICANA.
THE OLDEST CITY OF OUR SISTER
REPUBLIC.
TnIa the Ancient Cradle Of the
Race-Something of Their
Civilization, Etc.

Especial Correspondence of the REcoRD-UNIoN.l
TULA, Mex, November "a, 1887.
According to the Persian poet, Saad;,
there was once tribe of Armenians none Of
whose people were ever known to die the
natural death. Once every year, on GER
tain festal day, when the entire population
was engaged in sports, many individuals
would suddenly pause in their occupations,
make an obeisance to the west, and, drawn
by some mysterious power, start off in the
direction of the setting sun and disappear,
TO be seen no more forever.
Somewhat after this fashion, on a certain
great fiesta day in the City OF Mexico, We
we're suddenly seized by the rowing i'm
pulse babe our friends a TASTY adios and
disappeared-temporarily, at least. And
so we came to lula, one eff the oldest in
habited cities in the wor,d-so old, in fact,
that the date of its fousding is lost in OBJ
security.
To reach lula, you go northward from
the City of Mexico about fifty miles, via
the Mexican Central Railroad-through
the great Spanish drainage cut called Ell
Tajo de Nochistongo; through the quaint
suburban villages Atzcaptyaico, Tlanepan-
( tia, Cuautitlan and Huehuetoca crossing
the ridge of mountains that forms the out
( ermost barrier around the valley of Mexico
and reach our destination within six
hours Of the time of starting,
Beautiful lula. Thozgh gray with age
and wrinkled with traditions, no pen can
describe its exceeding picturesquene1s and
the indefnable glamour of romance which
hangs about the place Surrounded on all
sides by hills of basaltic rock, the compact
little town is built Of stones taken from
the ruins of ancient cities. Over'the doors
of insignificant paLqeerds, and in the walls
Of many lowly houses, one may find blocks
of basalt covered with remarkable carvings
-toads, crocodiles, serpents, plumed war
riors and undecipherable hieroglyphics-
wrought in the morning of time by some
forgotten people.
As for modern lula, nearly three CEN
turtles and half ago it was city of con-
siderable Importance to the Spanish in
yaders and here was built thier most i'm
posing cathedral, which according
TO an inscription on the wall from the
year 1853. 1t is superb structure, with
lofty groined ceilings, and rich in paint
ings which possess merit as well as an
tiquity. Especially one of the Virgin
supporting the dead Christ, is really re-
markable. On her beautiful face all pity,
agony and yearning love of mothers
bleeding heart are admirably depicted.
All the churches of that period-among
which this of lula is most famous-were
adorned with numerous paintings by the
most distinguished Spanish masters. Some
of them still exist-notably at Molango,
Cuernavaca, Mestitlan, Tepoztlan, Xulman
and Ayacapistla. The lula church is sur
rounded by high wall, with towers and
loopholes, which served for defense in
those days when sanctuaries were also forts
and houses of refuge.
The nearby Rio lula runs half around
the town, and the railroad crosses it over
an old stone bridge, arched and with a
parapet, which bears an inscription upon
tablet, stating that it was erected in
lll2. There is pleasant little plaza con-
tanning garden of flowers, with a fount-
ain bubbling up in the center of stone
basin. In the center of the plaza is a
small box of a Jail, guarded by couple o!
promenading soldiers; and through the
heavy wooden bars of its door the prisoners
stretch their hands and solicit your reales
There are three pulque-shops, each with
picture OF Its patron saint hung in con
spicuous position, and crucifixes set w
among the bottles of aguardiente and boxes
of smoked herring. Over each wide-oper
door waves a green curtain of riyer-rushe
intertwined with marigolds. Huge tank
ards, some Of them bearing Spanish coats
of-arms, are scattered about, and pig-skins
full of liquid drawn from the succulen
heart OF the century plant, abound. Oh
all fiesta days-and that means nearly ever,
day in the year-the pulque barrels, mug
and tankards are wreathed with poppie
and roses, and so are the patron saints ant
the cruciflxes. These queer people have
way of mixing both poetry and religion
with their potations in the most surprisin.
mannerl For example, over the door O
apulqueria, at Tlalpam, which is dedicated
to Ia 4uddre dc DloS appears the followin.
verse, or Its equivalent-in Spanish, O
course which | have translated int,
rhyme:
What is pulque?
Liquor diyine
Angels drink it,
Rather than wine"
The is also Il botiea or drug store i,
rejoices under the name of Perfecto Espi
noza a shop of general merchandise, will
the ambitious title of Los Liones-"T TIL,
Lions" and passable inn, called tn,
Hotel de las Diligencias.
But it is ancient lula that interest
US most-the early cradle of the race, tn,
Tollen, or Tollantzingo of the Toltecs. s.
obscure is the origin of the ancient Mexi
cans that the wisest savant has not beer
able to locate their birthplace with Ger
tainty. Their traditions reach back NOR,
than thousand years before the comm.
of Christ, but it is impossible to determin,
exactly where to draw the line of division
between history and tradition We ma,
assert with positiveness, however, thai
their annals are mdoubted history so fal
back as the sixth century This woulc
confine us to the annals of the Toltecs
though the country is known to have beer
inhabited by wild people many centurie.
before that race came into prominence. Ir